Automatic door bottom



March 14, 1944. w. E. BALOUSEK' 2,344,278

AUTOMATIC noon BOTTOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1941 f@ @ww Patented Mar. 14, 1944 AUTOMATIC DOOR BOTTOM William E. Balousek, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. J. Dennis & Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 22, 1941, Serial No. 467,899

(Cl. Ztl-68) 6 Claims.

duction of such a device embodying novel means i for securing the actuating spring to the closure member and means for maintaining the closure member in proper alignment at al1 times.

Another object of the invention is the production of a clip for securing the spring to the closure member which is provided with means for facilitating the assembling of the device and securely holding the respective parts in operative position. M

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View of a weather strip embodying the present invention showing the closure member in raised position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the closure member in sealing position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the spring element an actuating rod employed; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. E is a perspective view of a portion housing;

Fig. 7 is e similar view of the closure member with the attaching clip in operative position;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the attaching clip employed; and

Fig. El is a perspective view of the end plate construction.

ofthe In the drawings, I designates a housing of 5,5 extends throughthe opening 29, the sleeve 25 l substantially inverted U-shape, having side walls 2 and 3 connected adjacent their upper edges by a top portion 4. The latter is formed with a longitudinally extending groove or channel 5. The side wall 3 terminates at its lower edge in an outwardly extending flange 6, while extending from the lower edge'of the side wall 2 is an inwardly extending partition or wall "I, the latter being spaced from the side wall 2 to form a narrow channel B therebetween. Formed from an extension of the side wall 2 is an end plate 9, the latter being bent across one end of the housing I, and provided with a flange II which, if desired, may be secured by welding, soldering or other suitable means to the top 4 of the housing. The plate 9 is also provided with an aperture I2 which is aligned with the channel 5.

The closure member, designated generally by the numeral I3, as best illustrated in Fig. 7 comprises the member vI3 having a strip of felt I4 or suitable material carried thereby the strip I4 being clamped by the U-shaped portion I5 of member I 3. Extending upwardly from one of the lower edges of the U-shaped member l5 is a wall I6 which is bent back upon itself to form 'a channel I'I between the wall I5 and the downwardly extending portion I8.

The housing and closure member are assembled as illustrated in Fig-3 by longitudinally sliding the closure member I3 into the housing with the wall or portion I8 of the closure member positioned in the channel 8 between the walls 2 and I of the housing, thus forming an interlocking construction similar to that shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 288,823, now Patent No. 2,282,019, patented May 5, 1942.

Positioned in the 'housing is an elongated helical spring I9 having straight portions 2I and 22 at the respective ends and a straight portion 23 adjacent the central vportion of the spring. The straight portion 2| terminates in an eye 24, while the portion 22 is inserted in a sleeve 25 and secured thereto -by crimping the sleeve as shown at 2B, Figs. 1 and 2, or by other suitablevmeans. The top 4 of the housing is provided with apertures or openings 21, 28 and 29 along the channel or groove 5. Extending through the opening 2l is the straight' portion 2l of the spring I9 which is secured to the housing by a rivet 8l passing through the eye 24 and bottom of the channel 5 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite end of the spring being aligned with the channel and secured to a rod 32 positioned in the channel and extending thro-ugh the aperture I2 in the end plate 9, the free end of the rod 32 being provided with a head 33. To provide a means of adjustment the sleeve 25 is preferably internally threaded, while the end of the rod 32 is externally threaded.

The spring I9 is secured at the straight portion 23 thereof to the closure member I3 by means of a clip, designated generally by the numeral 34, which is formed from a at strip of material, the upper edge of the strip being bent transversely to the remainder thereof to form a flange 35, the latter being formed with an in-` verted U-shaped groove 35 of a size to receive the straight portion 23 of the spring I9. The central portion of the strip is provided with an H-shaped opening 31 forming oppositely disposed ears 38, while extending below the latter is a handle-like portion 39 by means of which the clip might be readily installed, after which the portion 39 may be severed-directly below the ears 33 as indicated by the dotted lines 4I. The clip 34 is also provided with a projection 42 extending at substantially right angles to the main portion of the strip, the projection being adapted to enter a vertically extending opening 43 in the housing, the latter being flanged as shown at 44 to provide a smooth bearing surface for the projection 42.

The device is assembled as follows:

The end 2| of the spring I9 is secured to the housing as previously described after which the closure member I3 may be longitudinally inserted in the housing. The clip 34 is then inserted in the opening 28 and the handle portion 39 passed between the wall I6 and the adjacent wall of the U-shaped portion of the closure member, through the opening 45 at the juncture of the wall IS and adjacent wall of the closure member. It will be noted that the opening 28 is of sufficient size to permit the clip 34 and projection to enter the housing and that there is suiicient room to permit the projection 42 to enter the slot 43. The clip when being inserted must be positioned on the right side of the spring so that the latter will be engaged by the flanged portion 35. The clip is pushed downwardly thro-ugh the opening 45 and may then be grasped by the handle portion 39 and drawn down into the position illustrated in Fig. 3 and the ears 38 bent inwardly to underlie the edge of the adjacent side wall of the U-shaped portion I5, thereby preventing displacement of the clipfrom the member. Obviously, the felt strip I4 will give sufficiently, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 to permit this operation. After the clip has been secured in position the handle portion 39 may be severed therefro mby repeatedly bending the portion 39 outwardly and upwardly, the strip being scored along the lines 4I if desired to facilitate severing of the handle portion 39. The free end of the spring and sleeve 25 may then be positioned in alignment with the channel 5 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 after which the rod 32 may be passed through the aperture I2 of the end plate 9 into the channel 5 and threaded into the sleeve 25. In positioning the end of the spring as just described a suitable tool be employed in the opening 29.

The device is installed on a door in the usual manner by inserting the same in a channel 4S formed in the bottom edge of the door 41 and secured thereto by nails 48 or other suitable means passing through the ilange 6 and end plate 9. A flat end plate 49 may be secured to the edge of the door to conceal the open end of the housing. The end of the housing from which the rod 32 extends is positioned adjacent the hinged edge of the door so that when the door is closed the head 33 of the rod will engage the adjacent jamb, the latter, if desired, being provided with a suitable screw or plate 5I against which the rod 32 may butt. As the rod engages the jamb, it will move the free end of the spring i9 towards the opposite end 2I which will cause the spring to buckle as illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby moving the closure member I3 down- Wardly into engagement with the iioor. It will be noted that the projection 42 and slot 43 prevent longitudinal movement of the closure member while readily permitting vertical movement of the closure member into and out of the housing. When the door is open the resiliency of the spring I9 will cause the same to return to its original position illustrated in Fig. l, thereby drawing the closure member up out of engagement with the floor. It might be mentioned that the use of the helical spring, a relatively stiff spring may be employed which will readily draw the closure member up into the housing without the use c-f any additional springs for this purpose and due to the helical construction of the spring, even though the latter is relatively stiff it will readily assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2 when the rod 32 is actuated. This construction oiers a denite advantage over the art wherein flat metal tapes were employed to actuate the closure member, as the tapes, if suiiiciently stiff to return the closure member to its o-riginal position, were not readily buckled when placed under compression. Similarly, if a light tape were employed to give a more easy action the tape would not have suicient strength to return the closure member to its original position with the result that various types of additional means were employed to return the closure member.

It will be apparent that this construction, made up of a relatively few number of parts, provides a very easy and eicient action, and as the closure member is free to pivot about the projection 42, eiiicient sealing is accomplished even though the floor might not be parallel to the housing.

It will be noted from the above description that I have provided a closure device utilizing a minimum of parts which is very efficient and dependable in action. Likewise, I have provided novel means for securing the spring to the closure member which means is constructed to facilitate the assembling of the device.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a weatherstrip, the combination of a supporting member, a closure member movably related thereto, an elongated helical spring, one end of which is secured to the supporting member, said spring being rigidly connected adjacent an intermediate portion thereof to said closure member, means related to the free end of said spring for moving the latter toward the xed end thereof, a guide means connected with said closure member at a point substantially coincident With the connection of said intermediate portion of the spring with said closure member, and coacting with means on said supporting member to vertically guide the said closure member during the operation thereof.

2. In a weatherstrip, the combination of a supporting member, a closure member movably related thereto, an elongated helical spring, one end of which is secured to the supporting member, said spring having a straight portion intermediate its ends, a connecting unit for rigidly connecting said straight portion of the spring with said closure member including means for co-acting within a slot in said Supporting member to guide said closure member and to permit pivotal movement thereof relative to said supporting member, and means related to the free end of said spring for moving the latter toward the xed end thereof whereby said closure member is urged into operative relation.

3. In a weatherstrip, the combination of an inverted U-shaped housing having a groove in the upper portion thereof, an elongated helical spring, one end of Which is rigidly secured to said housing, a compression rod slidably carried in said groove, the free end of said spring being secured to the adjacent end of said rod, a closure member movable in said housing, said spring being rigidly secured intermediate its ends to said closure member, a cooperative means carried by said U-shaped housing and said closure member for guiding the latter vertically relative to said housing and to permit said closure member to pivot relative to said housing at any point Within the limits of the vertical travel of the closure member.

4. In a weatherstrip, the combination of an inverted U-shaped housing having a channel in the top portion thereof, a closure member positioned in and movable relative to said housing and having an inverted U-shaped portion, one of the side walls thereof being folded back upon itself to form a double Wall, sealing means carried by said portion, a rod positioned in said channel and slidable relative to said housing, an elongated helical spring secured at one end to said housing and at the other end to said rod, an end plate positioned at one end of said housing, having an aperture therein aligned with said channel, through which said rod extends, said spring having a straight section adjacent the central portion thereof and a clip rigidly secured to said closure member and rigidly connecting said spring with the closure member, said clip having a projection extending transversely thereof, positioned in a vertically extending slot in the housing for guiding said closure member during movement thereof.

5. In a Weatherstrip, the combination of a housing, a closure member movable relative to said housing and having an inverted U-shaped portion, sealing means carried by the latter, an actuating rod slidable relative to said housing, an elongated helical spring secured at one end to said housing and at the other end to said actuating rod, said spring having a straight section adjacent the central portion thereof and a clip rigidly connecting said spring with said closure member, said clip having means engageable with cooperative means carried by said housing to guide said closure member vertically and to permit the latter to level itself to the surface it contacts.

6. In a weatherstrip, the combination of a housing, a closure` member movable relative to said housing and having an inverted U-shaped portion, sealing means carried by the latter, an actuating rod slidable relative to said housing, an elongated helical spring secured at one end to said housing and at the other end to said rod, said spring having a straight section adjacent the central portion thereof and a clip rigidly connecting said spring with the closure member, said clip having a projection extending transversely thereof positioned in a vertically eX- tending slot in the housing for guiding said closure member bodily vertically during movement thereof thereby counteracting longitudinal shifting of 5said closure member relative to said housing.

WILLIAM E. BALOUSEK. 

